


Parents at Pride

by tbehartoo



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Dad Hugs and Mom Hugs for the win, Gen, Not everyone's parents are awful, Sometimes you just gotta adopt all the kids that awful parents don't appreciate, The rising generation needs support and who better to do that then great parents?, They aren't the only ones, Tom and Sabine are great parents
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-08
Updated: 2019-07-08
Packaged: 2020-06-24 12:12:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,807
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19723444
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tbehartoo/pseuds/tbehartoo
Summary: When news gets around that some kids are kicked out of their families for "being gay" the Pride Parents of Paris are born. Their mission: To give out free Mom or Dad hugs to teens or young people that may need them.





	Parents at Pride

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Freedom_Shamrock](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Freedom_Shamrock/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Bi the Pricking of my Thumbs](https://archiveofourown.org/works/19106230) by [Freedom_Shamrock](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Freedom_Shamrock/pseuds/Freedom_Shamrock). 



> This was inspired by Freedom_Shamrock's "Bi the Pricking of my Thumbs" a Pride story for June about bisexual Ladybug supporting her partner, Chat Noir, in coming out as bisexual to all of Paris. My thought was "What would Tom and Sabine be doing?" that matched with the news item reported at the beginning of this story led me to this. I hope you enjoy it, but if you don't that's okay. This isn't everyone's cup of tea. Still, I can only hope to be as loving and supportive as these parents to the young people around me.
> 
> As Freedom_Shamrock said "...This is a piece in honor of pride month. It's safest to assume that no one is straight or cis in this story. If this is a problem for you, if Bi-drien and Bi-nette have no place in your head, this is probably not the story for you, and it would be better for both of us if you just take a hard pass and skip it. Sincere questions are welcome, but bi-phobia will not be tolerated."

Emelda Bruel jumped out of her delivery van as soon as she cut the engine. She hurried into the kitchen of the Dupain-Cheng bakery waving her phone in the air.

“Sabine have you seen this?” she called instead of her usual greeting to the two bakers. “Oh, good morning, Tom. You need to see this, too.”

She thrust her phone in front of Sabine’s face as she explained to Tom.

“There was a Pride event in America somewhere,” she said very quickly. “And the man and his wife attend wearing shirts saying “Free Dad Hugs” and “Free Mom Hugs” so that they can give out hugs to teens and young adults who have been abandoned by their families.” 

The grimace on her face reminded Sabine very much of Ivan, Emelda’s son, when he was in a bad mood.

“And look at these pictures!” she pointed to two photos as Sabine passed the phone to Tom. “He said that these two kids just broke down crying because they hadn’t had a dad hug in years! And they had been tossed out onto the street as teens just for telling their parents they were gay.”

“No!” Tom exclaimed. “How could any parent do that to their child?”

Emelda growled. “I don’t know, but it happens.” She took a deep breath before turning back to Sabine. 

“Do you think we could do that at your booth at the Paris Pride next week?” she asked. “I know that Peter said he’d be willing to wear a Dad Hugs shirt, and I figure that between us, and you two, we could give out some excellent Dad and Mom hugs.”

“Count me in,” Tom said immediately.

“Of course we can do that, but I bet we aren’t the only ones who’d want to participate,” Sabine said as she pulled out her own phone. “Give me a minute,” she pulled up the parents’ group chat for Marinette’s class and typed a brief message. “Okay, it might take a little while before anyone else gets back to me, but I’m sure we can get more than a few to show up at the booth to give out hugs. Now, let’s get your van unloaded.” 

Sabine put her phone on the counter and the three headed to the back alley to start pulling out 25 kilogram bags of flour and 15 kilo bags of sugar. Sabine checked her phone as she passed it back on the way out. 

1 Message- From: Raincomprix- Martin: Ça marche!

“Sabrina’s moms are in,” she called as she stepped back into the alley.

“Excellent,” Tom replied. “Those two are very approachable.”

Emelda gave him a questioning look, while Sabine gently swatted his arm with the back of her hand.

“Listen, as a big guy I can’t tell you how much I sometimes have to shrink myself so that people aren’t afraid of me. Those two will be almost eye level for any youngsters at the event.”

Emelda gave a laugh. “We know that all too well in the Bruel household. Ivan is the shortest of my boys, and he hasn’t even had his final growth spurt.” She paused for just a moment. “But he has already learned how to do the shrink.” She shook her head. “You’re right, Tom. Giselle and Luci are barely two meters tall between the two of them; they are highly approachable.”

Sabine checked herself as she stepped back through the doorway. “Marinette! What are you doing up so early?”

Marinette pointed to her art portfolio that was bulging with posters. 

“I had a conversation with a friend last night that made me realize there were some people in my community that might not be safe in coming out to their friends or family and I want them to know that they still belong.” She pulled out one of the posters of a rainbow colored turtle hiding in its shell with the words “It’s okay if you’re not ready yet” across the top to show the three adults. “I made these to put up at school and I need to have them approved before we can do that. Marc said that Monsieur Babatt, our advisor, promised to come in before school started to look them over.”

“Oh that’s beautiful sweetheart,” Sabine cooed as she took the poster from Marinette to look at it closer.

“It’s gorgeous,” Emelda said. “I’ll pay you for one to put up in the warehouse.”

Tom just swooped in and gave his daughter a big hug while saying, “I’m so proud of you, sweetie.”

“I can probably make you one this afternoon and bring it by later,” Marinette said even as she yawned.

“No hurries, little lady,” Emelda said with a wave of her hand. “You can just give it to your folks whenever you get done with it.”

“You know I think we need some of these for the bakery,” Sabine said as she looked at the other posters Marinette had done while returning the one in her hand to the portfolio. “Em, don’t you know someone that has a print shop?”

“Uh,” Emelda thought for a minute. “Yeah, Madam Le Chiên does all kinds of printing. I don’t have any deliveries to her shop today, but I could call and see what she needs to set up a print run. I’m pretty sure most of my customers are going to want one of your posters, Marinette. Oh and she can probably do the shirts if we get a lot of parents interested in our project.”

Marinette smiled. “Thanks Madam Bruel! Let me know what she needs, and if it’s just a file I can clean up the designs I have on my computer and email it to her. But, what’s your project and is it why your phone’s been going crazy with notifications?” she asked her mom.

“I’ll explain when you come home for lunch,” Sabine said as she kissed her daughter’s cheek. “If you want to get to school early you need to go now.”

Marinette looked at the clock, then yelped as she realized she’d need to run to catch her train.

“Good bye, everyone,” she said as she grabbed the posters and ran for the door.

“Bye, cupcake! Do good! Be good!” Tom called.

Marinette waved back to him over her shoulder to let him know that she heard the familiar phrase, then turned and dashed out of sight.

Emelda chuckled, “You have a good girl there, Tom. I don’t think she needs the reminder.”

Tom laughed in reply. “The reminder isn’t just for her, and It’s more of our family motto.”

“It’s certainly evident,” Emelda said.

“Thank you,” Tom said as he ducked his head trying to hide the pleasure he felt at the compliment to his family.

“Well, I’ve heard back from about three-fourths of the families,” Sabine said. “And you would be surprised at how this has sort of taken on a life of its own.”

“Really? How?” Emelda asked.

“Well,” Sabine thumbed back through the text chat in order to hit the highlights. “One of the parents mentioned not being comfortable with people hugging them, in general, but still wanted to help. Someone else mentioned that there were some people planning on being contrary idiots who would be harassing attendees. Alya’s mom jumped in offering to be quote-The Protective Wall of Parental Love- end quote and suggested that Max’s mom, Jacquelyn, could join her at that. But Max’s other mom, Celeste, said that it would be best if Jacquie not be allowed anywhere near them, to which her wife agreed. Alya’s dad said that one of the best ways to help protect something you love is to make sure there is information on how to protect and preserve it. Which got…” Sabine had to think of who this parent belonged to, “Marc’s father, I think, to suggest we hand out lists of resources for places these kids can find help.” She looked up at her husband. “I think we can find a spot on our table for that, don’t you?”

Tom grinned as he pulled out the paper where they’d planned the footprint of their stall and started moving post-its around. “It is being arranged even as we speak.”

Sabine looked at Emelda, “And that is why I love this man.”

Both women saw Tom’s ears turn pink even as he dove more intensely into his work.

Sabine looked back to her phone and laughed before showing the picture to Emelda. There Anarka was decked out in the flashiest outfit with one half pinks and reds and the other yellow, white, purple, and black with the caption “Just starting to get ready for Pride!”

“Anarka is going to be part of the Wall,” Sabine said. “And apparently it’s now just the Wall of Protective Love as Alya’s older sister, the boxer, insists on being able to participate. Even Officer Raincomprix is being called on to be part of the Wall, but they can’t decide if he’ll be protecting the protesters or the parents.”

“He’ll definitely be there to protect the protesters from Anarka,” Tom said absently as he placed his last Post-it. “Et voilà!” he proclaimed holding the page up for Sabine to see. “Room for four people to sit at the back of the booth to hand out cookies or lists and also room at each end for people in front to have quick access.”

“You are so good at that!” Sabine crowed. 

“Mercy!” Emelda exclaimed as she looked at the time. “I’m late and we haven’t finished half of your order.” She hurried back out to the delivery van.

“This was more important,” Tom said as he grabbed one more bag of flour than he usually carried.

“Much more important,” Sabine seconded as she grabbed a large bucket of oil and another of molasses.

In less than two hours the parents had their battle plans ready. 

The Dupain-Cheng’s booth was to be their home base. The Dupain-Chengs, the Bruels and Cesaires would set up the booth early in the morning to make sure everything would be ready. Cookies and fliers would be available there until supplies ran out, though it was a safe bet the cookies would go fastest. The Huggers would meet an hour before the parade was to step off in order to grab their shirts. They would stick close to the booth, but didn’t have to man it. Parents walking in the parade with their kids would be able to grab fliers before events were under way, too. Members of the Wall had their own meet up spot and most were planning to be very early so that hopefully the protesters would see them-- there and ready -- and decide that it was not in their best interest to stick around. 

Max’s mom, Celeste, offered to pull together the list of resources including websites, shelters, and legal council and have it ready for printing by noon. Kim’s mom had offered to print the fliers and silk screen the shirts. The group was pleasantly surprised to find out that Gabriel Agreste Fashion would provide the shirts free, so long as there was a logo somewhere on the outside of the shirt. And with that last bombshell, everything was arranged.

Later when Marinette was helping with the screen printing she decided that the teeny, tiny Gabriel logo should go in the middle of the back at the hemline. “Gabriel is always an ass to his son, his logo can reflect that,” she told her mom when questioned about it. Adrien had broken out in a fit of laughter when he heard her. She had also added the tag line “Unlike Gabriel Agreste” to the backs of the shirts proclaiming the wearer to be “A Stone in the Wall Protecting GLBTQ Love”. 

The morning of the parade dawned clear and bright. The slight breeze being something of an appreciated blessing to those setting up for the Pride events. Although only three families had planned to set up the Dupain-Cheng booth, they soon found themselves knee deep in parent volunteers eagerly waiting to participate. 

“I didn’t know we had this many parents for our class,” Alya said as she looked around, only recognizing about half the parents.

“Oh we don’t,” Marinette said. “But once we opened up the chat to the parents of the other students in the Gender and Sexuality Alliance, we got a lot more volunteers.” 

Alya laughed. “Well the more allies, the better.”

“Exactly!”

Kim and his dad, pushing a trolley filled with boxes of shirts and fliers, were set upon like vultures to a carcass by dads wanting to get to their shirts. Tom had to wade into the fray, to pull Peter back, just so that the box could actually be opened. Kim called out shirt sizes and a hand would be stretched forward to snatch the prized cotton treasure. More than one man was heard to proclaim his Dad Hug powers at full potency once his shirt was on. 

Tom made sure to give Marinette, Alya, Nino, and Kim hugs before and after donning his shirt for quality control purposes. His hugs were deemed acceptable though Marinette suggested he should squeeze Kim tighter while it was the jock’s turn. Tom settled for a light noogie to the young man’s head.

The mothers were no less excited for their shirts, though they were more orderly and organized. Some moms didn’t want to have their size publicly known so they were permitted to look through for the appropriate size, but others didn’t mind and just asked for the size they needed.

Sabine made sure to get some warm-up hugs in with Marinette and her classmates. She was surprised when one very shy little girl sidled up to her and asked if the shirt was real. Sabine just opened her arms and asked if she’d like to try a hug on for size. Marinette wasn’t sure who had the bigger smile when the girl melted away into the gathering crowd.

Tom, Peter, Otis, and Kim’s dad all were part of Team Dad Hug. While Sabine, Celeste, Mylene’s mom and step-mom, Marc’s mother, and both of Sabrina’s moms were Team Mom Hug. The booth attendants (Emelda, Kim’s mother, Marc’s father, Marlena, and Jacquelyn) wore orange shirts with the words “Have a gay day!” on them. While Rose’s dads, Nathaniel’s parents, Mr. Kubdel, and Jalil all wore baby blue shirts sporting a rainbow across the back with the words, “Love is Love ” to walk in the parade with their family member and, where applicable, their significant others.

Once Marc, Adrien, and Nathaniel returned from the Wall meeting spot with empty arms, the parents knew it was go time. The Moms got a good start in by having a plate of cookies in one hand, but by the beginning of the parade the Dads were pulling about even. Everyone tried to be welcoming and upbeat as the celebration truly got under way.

A cheer went up when Ladybug and Chat Noir landed at the Grand Stage and with the “help” of the mayor, they declared the 2019 Marche des Fiertés LGBT officially open. The procession truly began in earnest and the parents pulled out all the stops to make sure that all the children that came their way felt loved and accepted for who they were just as they are.

Late that night Emelda, Peter, and Ivan helped drag the last of the boxes from the booth into the Dupain-Cheng Bakery. Marinette was already in the kitchen helping her maman to stack and sort things so that they could be gone through more thoroughly in the morning.

“That was quite something,” Emelda said as she stood rubbing the small of her back.

“Agreed,” said Peter as he sat next to her taking off a shoe to remove a pebble.

“It was a great thing for Paris, but I think Marinette got the best part of it,” Ivan said with a grin. “What with getting a brand new member of the family.”

The smiles were catching as everyone turned to the door waiting for the last two people to come through. “Hey now, put that down for a moment,” came from Tom before the thud of something heavy hitting the ground and a startled yelp came from Adrien.

There Tom stood, cradling Adrien in a bridal carry, grinning from ear to ear.

“Listen, my boy,” Tom said to the bewildered and recently, for all intents and purposes, orphaned supermodel. “I carried Sabine across this threshold on the day she became my wife. I carried Marinette across this threshold on the day I brought home my daughter. And I’ll be damned if I won’t carry you across this threshold on the day you became my son.”

And stepping across the threshold, he made his family whole.


End file.
